Mac Desktop Computer Still in Box

[kathryne_B]

Hello All,
Need a little advice here. I bought a Mac Desktop a little over a month ago, that I haven't taken out of the box. I'm trying to make space in my room for it. Just need to know, if there will be any harm done to it if I leave it in the box a couple more weeks? I just need to know. Thank you for your help. -Kathryne B.

 

[erihp]

Hello All,
Need a little advice here. I bought a Mac Desktop a little over a month ago, that I haven't taken out of the box. I'm trying to make space in my room for it. Just need to know, if there will be any harm done to it if I leave it in the box a couple more weeks? I just need to know. Thank you for your help. -Kathryne B.

It’ll be just fine

 

[maflynn]

No issues at all. Its been sitting on shelf in some warehouse for an undetermined amount of time - sitting in your home for a few weeks or a month won't hurt it

 

[M4th]

I hesitate to ask this, but this thread is causing me to consider something that is probably going to sound... well, silly might be the most polite way to describe it.

For my purposes I'm happy with the base m4 pro mini, but as we know nothing lasts forever.

Would it make any sense at all to get another desktop m4 soon (of any kind or spec, but maybe upgrade from what I have) and keep it in it's box on the shelf... until it's actually needed?

I guess the biggest issue would be what Apple desktop devices will be like in, let's say 6 or 7 years from now, and what kind of m4 you can get now that would still be "good enough" by that time?

 

[kitKAC]

I hesitate to ask this, but this thread is causing me to consider something that is probably going to sound... well, silly might be the most polite way to describe it.

For my purposes I'm happy with the base m4 pro mini, but as we know nothing lasts forever.

Would it make any sense at all to get another desktop m4 soon (of any kind or spec, but maybe upgrade from what I have) and keep it in it's box on the shelf... until it's actually needed?

I guess the biggest issue would be what Apple desktop devices will be like in, let's say 6 or 7 years from now, and what kind of m4 you can get now that would still be "good enough" by that time?

The only reason do this is if Apple decided to stop producing the Mini, and they aren't.

 

[kathryne_B]

It’ll be just fine

erihp & maflynn: Thank you for you reassuring me. I really appreciate your responses! -KD​

 

[Fishrrman]

I see a problem.
You've lost your 14-day "return priviliges" with Apple.

Now, once you take it out of the box, you have to "live with it".
Can't exchange it for a model with more RAM, larger SSD, etc.

 

[m1maverick]

Would it make any sense at all to get another desktop m4 soon (of any kind or spec, but maybe upgrade from what I have) and keep it in it's box on the shelf... until it's actually needed?

I am having a difficult time thinking of a situation where I could say yes to this. Buy it when you need it. If, at that time, Apple isn't selling something that fits your needs you can always buy used.

 

[JSRinUK]

I hesitate to ask this, but this thread is causing me to consider something that is probably going to sound... well, silly might be the most polite way to describe it.

For my purposes I'm happy with the base m4 pro mini, but as we know nothing lasts forever.

Would it make any sense at all to get another desktop m4 soon (of any kind or spec, but maybe upgrade from what I have) and keep it in it's box on the shelf... until it's actually needed?

I guess the biggest issue would be what Apple desktop devices will be like in, let's say 6 or 7 years from now, and what kind of m4 you can get now that would still be "good enough" by that time?

Oddly, I can see some reasoning in this.

Example: In the EU, the M5 MacBook Pro ships without a charger (you have to pay the equivalent of £70 more). But the M4 MacBook Pro still ships with a charger. Effectively, the previous model is £70 cheaper. Do you want to pay more for an equivalent MBP in the future, or would you be wise buying the model with the charger and keeping it in storage as a backup?

It's also feasible that, going forward, Apple could introduce other unfavourable changes. One day we might start thinking that a previous generation model was better for us than the current one. For example, with the current RAM price crisis, a new M5 Mac (Mini to Air to MBP to Studio) could cost significantly more for the same RAM than the current M4 generation. Maybe the M5 Mac mini (16GB) could be priced at £799 instead of £599, without an appreciable performance increase. Grabbing an M4 and "putting it in storage" might prove to be financially sensible for some people.

So I don't think it's a "silly" question at all in the current climate.

 

[MacMorrison]

No physical harm leaving the Mac in the box, but it might be a good idea to hook it up to test that it works, while you can return or exchange it.

 

[boomom999]

I see a problem.
You've lost your 14-day "return priviliges" with Apple.

Now, once you take it out of the box, you have to "live with it".
Can't exchange it for a model with more RAM, larger SSD, etc.

That's certainly a consideration, but - one could purchase the best that they could afford - latest version (M5, M16, whatever it is at the time), & the most RAM; SSD isn't that big a deal - external storage is cheaper than Apple's. They'd have it on standby, could sell it 'unused,' and prices don't ever seem to go down... Unless they just keep it in the closet for a ridiculous amount of time, it could work out pretty well. And why would anyone (who has the $$$ to buy an 'extra' computer to begin with) not buy a computer that they want to begin with?

 

[kenta_]

Burning up your warranty

 

[Abydos]

not really, as someone who procrastinated opening a box long enough for the box and contents to become a collectible, I don't see a problem although if you actually plan to use it can become obsolete if opened too late

 

[TechnoMonk]

I see a problem.
You've lost your 14-day "return priviliges" with Apple.

Now, once you take it out of the box, you have to "live with it".
Can't exchange it for a model with more RAM, larger SSD, etc.

Costco has 90 day return policy. Op didn’t say where he bought, and most of the stores including Apple have extended return window for holidays well beyond 14 days.

 

[sublunar]

Oddly, I can see some reasoning in this.

Example: In the EU, the M5 MacBook Pro ships without a charger (you have to pay the equivalent of £70 more). But the M4 MacBook Pro still ships with a charger. Effectively, the previous model is £70 cheaper. Do you want to pay more for an equivalent MBP in the future, or would you be wise buying the model with the charger and keeping it in storage as a backup?

It's also feasible that, going forward, Apple could introduce other unfavourable changes. One day we might start thinking that a previous generation model was better for us than the current one. For example, with the current RAM price crisis, a new M5 Mac (Mini to Air to MBP to Studio) could cost significantly more for the same RAM than the current M4 generation. Maybe the M5 Mac mini (16GB) could be priced at £799 instead of £599, without an appreciable performance increase. Grabbing an M4 and "putting it in storage" might prove to be financially sensible for some people.

So I don't think it's a "silly" question at all in the current climate.

I ran with a 'spare' M1 Pro MacBook Pro for a couple of years (my main Mac is also an M1 Pro) but if it's to be treated as a 'hot spare' you really need to use it to ensure it works by using it. After all, by purchasing another one to 'sit on the shelf' you are running the warranty down.

In the end, I had AppleCare+ on my main Mac (still not claimed on it) and ended up selling the 'spare' after it only got light use around the house (by using it I also made sure it was working just fine). For me, as times goes on you'll have access to more modern Macs year by year. If an off the shelf model (rather than a BTO) is ok as an emergency purchase then I'd advise putting the money in a bank until the day you need it and ensure you have a good backup regime for important data. And on top of that you'll get macOS updates for longer too.

In the long term I am concerned about macOS support ending at the same time so I'm happy to buy another Mac in the M5 or M6 generation to ensure I have a Mac that's getting updates going into the future.

Think about this. If you bought an M4 Mini now, by October that money could have bought you an M5 Mini. And in a couple of years time maybe an M6 mini? All this time the money is sitting in the bank earning interest - ok we don't know where prices will be by then but waiting a couple of years gets you a better Mac in case you needed it later. And in 5-6 years time you might be cursing as Apple announces the end of primary M4 support once macOS 32 comes out.

TLDR - Keeping an M4 Mini in the box 'just in case' is wasteful.

@kathryne_B - take your Mini out of the box and get it booted up to make sure it works - I don't think you're going to get bonus points for keeping an M4 mini brand new in the box for years. Once you think it works ok then put it back into storage.

 

[JSRinUK]

I ran with a 'spare' M1 Pro MacBook Pro for a couple of years (my main Mac is also an M1 Pro) but if it's to be treated as a 'hot spare' you really need to use it to ensure it works by using it. After all, by purchasing another one to 'sit on the shelf' you are running the warranty down.

In the end, I had AppleCare+ on my main Mac (still not claimed on it) and ended up selling the 'spare' after it only got light use around the house (by using it I also made sure it was working just fine). For me, as times goes on you'll have access to more modern Macs year by year. If an off the shelf model (rather than a BTO) is ok as an emergency purchase then I'd advise putting the money in a bank until the day you need it and ensure you have a good backup regime for important data. And on top of that you'll get macOS updates for longer too.

In the long term I am concerned about macOS support ending at the same time so I'm happy to buy another Mac in the M5 or M6 generation to ensure I have a Mac that's getting updates going into the future.

Think about this. If you bought an M4 Mini now, by October that money could have bought you an M5 Mini. And in a couple of years time maybe an M6 mini? All this time the money is sitting in the bank earning interest - ok we don't know where prices will be by then but waiting a couple of years gets you a better Mac in case you needed it later. And in 5-6 years time you might be cursing as Apple announces the end of primary M4 support once macOS 32 comes out.

TLDR - Keeping an M4 Mini in the box 'just in case' is wasteful.

@kathryne_B - take your Mini out of the box and get it booted up to make sure it works - I don't think you're going to get bonus points for keeping an M4 mini brand new in the box for years. Once you think it works ok then put it back into storage.

That's a really good point - to at least test it out first. If the first time you turn it on 2 years later and it bricks, you'd be gutted. On reflection, I think a better idea would be to have it plugged in somewhere. Turn it on every few weeks or so, get the updates done, then you can switch it off for awhile. At least that way you know it's both working, and is up-to-date.

The financial decision is, of course, down to the individual and how they perceive the future. Personally, I'm expecting the next 128GB Mac Studio (which is what I'm running), is going to be prohibitively expensive due to RAM.

 

[Mike Boreham]

I hesitate to ask this, but this thread is causing me to consider something that is probably going to sound... well, silly might be the most polite way to describe it.

For my purposes I'm happy with the base m4 pro mini, but as we know nothing lasts forever.

Would it make any sense at all to get another desktop m4 soon (of any kind or spec, but maybe upgrade from what I have) and keep it in it's box on the shelf... until it's actually needed?

I guess the biggest issue would be what Apple desktop devices will be like in, let's say 6 or 7 years from now, and what kind of m4 you can get now that would still be "good enough" by that time?

I understand the feeling that you are so happy with your current setup that you want the world to stop in this state forever…. but it won’t!

In 6 or 7 years:-
-there will be 6 or 7 newer macOS versions, the most recent of which may not run on your mothballed M4. So it will be less secure against whatever malware exists by then.
-your M4 may be an obsolete model by then and unsupported by Apple.
-there will be new hardware and software features, many of which you may be happy to miss but some you may really wish you had.
-your own needs and purposes may have changed.

My advice is, if you currently have the spare cash for a mothballed M4, invest it and use the money to buy an M10 Mini in 6 or 7 years.

 

[sublunar]

The financial decision is, of course, down to the individual and how they perceive the future. Personally, I'm expecting the next 128GB Mac Studio (which is what I'm running), is going to be prohibitively expensive due to RAM.

I get the feeling if Apple feel they need to claw back some money for profit margin due to RAM or NAND short term supply issues they might have reached the end of a deal with their famed long term hedge prices and need to renegotiate at a very bad time.

This would be really bad timing as I’ve otherwise seen Apple try to keep prices consistent within the same (current) generation so I wouldn’t expect any price increases until other M5 based products come out but we’d have to see how the A18 MacBook is priced and specified as that’s likely the next product to come out.

 

[kathryne_B]

I ran with a 'spare' M1 Pro MacBook Pro for a couple of years (my main Mac is also an M1 Pro) but if it's to be treated as a 'hot spare' you really need to use it to ensure it works by using it. After all, by purchasing another one to 'sit on the shelf' you are running the warranty down.

In the end, I had AppleCare+ on my main Mac (still not claimed on it) and ended up selling the 'spare' after it only got light use around the house (by using it I also made sure it was working just fine). For me, as times goes on you'll have access to more modern Macs year by year. If an off the shelf model (rather than a BTO) is ok as an emergency purchase then I'd advise putting the money in a bank until the day you need it and ensure you have a good backup regime for important data. And on top of that you'll get macOS updates for longer too.

In the long term I am concerned about macOS support ending at the same time so I'm happy to buy another Mac in the M5 or M6 generation to ensure I have a Mac that's getting updates going into the future.

Think about this. If you bought an M4 Mini now, by October that money could have bought you an M5 Mini. And in a couple of years time maybe an M6 mini? All this time the money is sitting in the bank earning interest - ok we don't know where prices will be by then but waiting a couple of years gets you a better Mac in case you needed it later. And in 5-6 years time you might be cursing as Apple announces the end of primary M4 support once macOS 32 comes out.

TLDR - Keeping an M4 Mini in the box 'just in case' is wasteful.

@kathryne_B - take your Mini out of the box and get it booted up to make sure it works - I don't think you're going to get bonus points for keeping an M4 mini brand new in the box for years. Once you think it works ok then put it back into storage.

Hi there sublunar: Didn't say I wanted to keep my not so brand new desktop computer in storage forever. I said till I find a place for it in my bedroom. Thx for the advice of plugging it somewhere to see if works ok. Oh, and it's not a mini. It's a 24 incher desktop, like I mentioned above. Thx!

 

[sw1tcher]

Hello All,
Need a little advice here. I bought a Mac Desktop a little over a month ago

I see a problem.
You've lost your 14-day "return priviliges" with Apple.

Now, once you take it out of the box, you have to "live with it".
Can't exchange it for a model with more RAM, larger SSD, etc.

Apple's 2025 holiday return period runs until Jan. 8, 2026 if the item was purchased between Nov. 12, 2025 and Dec. 25, 2025. Since it was purchased "a little over a month ago," that means it falls within the holiday sale and return period, so kathryne_B still has a few more days to return it.

I would return/exchange it. It's been sitting in that box for too many days.